Family member points to land dispute in Caswell County mass shooting
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- A family member told ABC11 that a dispute about family property may have led to a shooting that left three people dead and a fourth hospitalized Wednesday morning in Caswell County.
The Caswell County Sheriff's Office responded to reports of a shooting just before 8 a.m. Wednesday in the Prospect Hill community. Deputies found three people dead at the scene and a fourth person suffering from gunshot wounds. That person was taken to Duke University Hospital in Durham.
Sheriff Tony Durden confirmed those details uncovered by his deputies at the scene.
"I can confirm four people were shot. Three of them are deceased. One person was transported to Duke University Hospital with gunshot wounds," Durden said.
Durden said all of those involved were members of the same family.
A family member told ABC11 that the shooting stemmed from a dispute among siblings over more than 150 acres of land following the death of their parents. The family member and another source also said those involved had previously contacted law enforcement because of the disagreement before the tragic events Wednesday.
However, Durden said investigators have found no evidence that the family had contacted his office before Wednesday's shooting.
"We do not have any evidence that this family had reached out to the Caswell County Sheriff's Office," Durden said.
Expert: Domestic violence can quickly spiral out of control
As investigators work to determine what happened, domestic violence advocates say disputes among family members can escalate quickly.
"It doesn't take much to escalate to domestic violence," said Kimberly Carver, CEO and founder of The Purple Trail Foundation.
Carver said domestic violence affects people from all backgrounds.
"Domestic violence has no identity. Domestic violence does not choose you by your age, your gender, your sex, your creed, your religion. It does not care about your financial status or anything," Carver said.
She said family conflicts can sometimes become dangerous.
"Fallouts, even between the family, you see a lot of escalation, and unfortunately sometimes, it can lead to traumatic situations," Carver said.
Carver encouraged people to seek help before situations become violent.
"When that level of violence, where it's not controllable anymore, puts people in harm's way and in danger, you call 911," she said.
Authorities have not released the identities of those involved or identified a motive in the shooting. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone experiencing or witnessing a potential domestic violence situation can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-SAFE.
